PREVENT

Act2 move better

'Move better, the body as a chain.'
By 'training function' we aim for a better timing of the body whereby all structures work optimal and whereby relations between all systems are matched.
Are you searching for physical medicine rehabilitation or a physical therapy rehabilitation center, you are at the right place. We are educated in 'Applied Functional Science' and differentiate ourselves from most physical rehabilitation centers by applying those principles to our injury prevention, training methods and rehabilitation. So we are not just treating the symptoms but are searching for the cause of injury. In our training methods and rehab we improve performance in sports and daily activities by performing functional exercises and movements. We will win a lot of time and make the body stronger as it was before.
Not everybody has the opportunity to work with us but at this website we offer some functional products and programs you can apply at home or at your sports club.
All our products and programs are educational, so it is our goal to help you understand the content so that you are able to perform them at home and even teach others. Most programs are suitable for trainers and coaches to improve their knowledge but also to share with the athletes they train. Some insights and tools are very useful in sports injury rehabilitation, even when you don't have a medical education. If you have doubts or questions about the content and how to apply it, don't hesitate to contact us.What can we learn from the Cybex test for (professional) soccer players? Or not learn?

What is the influence of your posture on your back?
A more 'round' posture (kyfosis) inactivates the abdominals, reduces mobility of the spine, gives more stress (and less perfusion) on the back muscles, raises the shoulder blades (more chance for shoulder injuries), causes less efficient breathing,...
A good posture has the opposite effect. So posture is very important! Sooner or later we get the same shape as our chair...
Do you have any idea how to prevent this? This and a lot more information is available in our back-program 'Back to basics'.

'Move better' with knee injuries

Have you ever considered that your knee injury may arise from your foot?
Since our body works as a chain, arm movements will have their influence on the feet (top-down driver) and our feet will have an influence on the upper body (bottom-up driver).
Do you have any idea of what the impact could be of a flat foot on the structures above it? Do you have an idea what could be the impact of an immobile hip on the knee?
Summary: The knee is a link between ankle and hip and will be driven by those 'friends'. As soon as one of these friends is not moving like it should, there could be more pressure on the knee, like with most patella-femoral complaints.What can we learn from the Cybex test for (professional) soccer players? Or not learn?

'Move better' with muscle injuries.

A lot of muscle injuries (strains, muscle tears) appear due to a lack of flexibility or a lack of training/preparation.
With 'functional exercises' we close the gap between our movements/training and our objective (work, hobby, sports,...).
We use our understanding of human function to move better and safer.Injury prevention and strength training by mobility and flexibility.

'Move better' with other physical complaints.

After a 'movement'-assessment we have a better view on the cause(s) of your physical complaints.
By focussing on the root cause, we have a greater influence on the symptoms and we increase the chance of permanent recovery.
This can range from foot/ankle problems via the knee and the hip, all over to the neck area.Healthy joints

'Move better' without physical complaints

You wish to move in the best possible way, you think and act preventively and you want to provide your body the physical stimuli it needs?
By 'functional' training sessions and movements you provide logic to your body and you create a stable foundation for you further 'active' life.
We pay a lot of attention to flexibility and mobility because we assume that a lack of it might cause drawbacks on our physical performance.Database of 70 functional exercises.Move better with additional nutrients.

Move better by 'functional stretching'

Stretching

Meaningful or not?

There is a lot of discussion regarding the utility of stretching and opinions often differ. We position ourselves based on our knowledge and insights in how the body works.
Stretching is only useful if we take into account the task of our body and it will therefore vary depending on the activity we are preparing for.
Static stretching in illogical or non-task oriented directions and movements seem less meaningful. Let us explain.The 'functional stretching program' for soccer players and soccer coaches

Dynamic or static?
We opt for dynamic stretching in preparation for an activity such as sports.
It's the intention to match the dynamic stretching to the specific movements required for that sport activity. Thus, our preliminary stretching for soccer will differ from the stretching for golf.
Since the body is dynamic and our sport as well, a dynamic preparation makes more sense than a static one. Please note we are talking about the stretching PRIOR to performing sport or activity.Functional stretching for youth soccer players

Injury prevention
If we choose dynamic and task-oriented stretching in our warming up we immediately get a kind of injury prevention because we are preparing the body (nervous system) to what is going to happen next. For this reason we prefer to stretch in as many directions and positions as would occur while performing our 'task'.The 'functional stretching program' for volleyball players and volleyball coaches

'Functional' stretching
By 'functional' stretching we mean stretching depending on what you want to do: eg walking, soccer, volleyball, golf, ...
We perform a motion analysis and we stretch more focused and logical so that our body is optimally prepared. This will not only help to protect us better against injuries but also ensure an improved performance during our activity/sport.
We already have a number of functional stretching programs available and we are working hard to expand our portfolio. Feel free to contact us if you have a specific question regarding this matter.

Move better ... by strong abdominal muscles

How are you currently training your abs?
Is it your goal to have a nice 6-pack or do you want to perform better in your sport?
Do you need strong abdominal muscles for aesthetic reasons or do you want to strengthen them for a different reason: to avoid back pain, to perform better when lifting, to run better, to jump better, ...

Everyone has a 6-pack, you know, however it is often not visible through the fat surrounding it. A tight abdomen and visible abdominal muscles have often more to do with losing weight than with the strength of your abs. In South America there are a number of indigenous tribes who all have a 6-pack because they have very little body fat. None of them performs abdominal muscle exercises as we do.
If you'd like stronger abdominal muscles in order to perform better then we recommend training functionally. Meaning we will train the abdominal muscles differently depending if you are a golfer, a soccer player, a runner, ... A goal keeper in soccer or a volleyball player often perform overhead reaches so crunches give them very few advantages because the traditional crunches result in the reverse movements.
For them, and probably for all of us, it might be important to train the abdominal muscles in stance and open up the trunk rather than closing it.

Our FREE 12-week abdominal program (which you can find at the bottom of each page) provides a brief training on abdominal muscles, how they actually work and how you can train in a functional way.

Move better... by Podiatry
We are not born wearing shoes and we too quickly put our baby's and toddler's feet into shoes which is not always beneficial to the development of the foot muscles (and other muscles). Our frequent sedentary work and the increased flattening of the surfaces is causing our feet to become more firmly and less reactive to the environment. This often results in a cascade of inconveniences and can even end up in chronic neck pain by the biomechanical chain in our body. There is a new trend coming up: 'bare-foot-shoes'. These absorb all shocks and bring our body back in time: walking ...barefoot.
In itself a very logical approach and a very good intention, though it's not suitable for everyone. Unfortunately our body is often unable to provide the necessary shock absorption in a natural way.
We know that our feet are a very important (and often forgotten) part of our biomechanical chain as the feet ensure that all upper body parts function well or don't function well at all. In that sense Podiatry is a part of our guidance of the recreational or top athlete so we started a partnership with Podiatrist Thorbjorn De Brul to have our customers move better starting at ... the feet.
We are counting on our feet-specialist for advice and for corrections, when required, to ensure you can move and perform your sport in a safe and a healthy way!
The Podiatry sessions take place on Saturday in Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Mechelen, Belgium (8 AM - 2 PM).
More information or making an appointment.